tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Mar 10 22:23:22 1998

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Re: Mechanical Contraptions (was Re: Theo)



In a message dated 98-03-10 11:48:29 EST, Voragh writes:

<< {jan} "device" works well for "any sort of mechanical contraption".  Cf.
the
 Hallmark commercial, wherein one of the crewmen admires the ornament:
 
      Qapqu' wovmoHbogh janHommey
      It even has working lights! 
 
 MO explained this line on the TNT Expert Forum (6/97): "That is, `little
 devices that cause (something) to be light or bright' or `little devices
 that brighten (something)' or `little devices that light (something) up' or
 the like."  A more colloquial translation for {janHom} would probably be
 "gadget" or "gizmo".  {jan} itself is used once in SkyBox S19 discussing the
 cloaking device:
 
      janmey ngo' lulo'lu'DI' pIj jabbI'ID nISpu' woj 
      Older models were susceptible to radiation.
 
 We learn from KGT that {jan} can be used to refer to any "musical
 instrument" and the word also appears in {botjan} "shields (force field on
 ship)":  "The force field on a ship is called {botjan}. To shield a ship,
 one must activate the shields, or {botjan chu'}" (KGT p67).  {botjan yIchu'}
 "Raise shields!" (KCD)  Since the {botjan} is activated {chu'} - a word used
 with devices - I suspect it actually refers to the mechanism for forming a
 {Surchem} "force field" around a ship.
 
 Another option is {luch} "equipment, gear":
 
      'ejyo' luch rurbe'qu' tlhIngan Duj luch. 
      Klingon starship design is vastly different from Starfleet technology.
SP3
 
      HoS law'qu' luch law'qu' je lo' Duj nuH pat Hub pat je 
      A huge amount of the ship's power and technology is devoted to its
 weapons grid
      and defensive systems. SP3
 
 Neither {jo'} or {mIqta'}, both glossed as "machinery", have ever been used
 in canon.  
 
 As to the differences (if any) between {QuQ} and {jonta'} "engine":
 
      tujqu'choH QuQ 
      The engine is overheating. TKD & CK
 
      baHwI', DoS yIbuS. QuQ neH. yaj'a'? 
      Gunner: Target engine only - Understood? ST3
 
      jonta' neH 
      only the engine TKD
 
      matHa', DoS jonta' neH 
      Gunner: target engine only. ST3
 
 For the sake of thoroughness, {jonpIn} means "engineering officer" (KGT)
 while {jonwI'} is an "engineer" (TKD).
 
 
 Voragh >>

choquvmoH, voragh.  Hovmey Davan.  QaQqu' De'vam chonobta'bogh.  reH jIqeqnIS.

peHruS


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